Your operators must be able to quickly interpret and take action on real-time ADMS data. The problem: ADMS is technically complex. The solution: the right user interfaces (UIs) to bridge the gap between data complexity and ease-of-use operations.
Tips for Intuitive UI Design
Quick interpretation can be significantly boosted by using symbols in your UI design. For example, a static symbol can clearly represent the physical components in a network. A dynamic symbol, such as alarms, calls and abnormal flags, can draw an operator’s attention quickly and speed up decision making.
Making your UI design intuitive also improves adoption rates of users. During design, a great recommendation is to get feedback from your operators. Their input can help you reduce training times and increase system usability. Getting your team’s buy-in can lead to improved workflow and higher levels of productivity.
Ensure your visibility profiles are optimized, which allows users to spot and engage with information they are looking for. If the UI design has poor visibility in terms of colors, font, font size, and graphics then it can lead to user frustration.
Improve Adoption with Familiarity
UIs that provide integrated and coherent views of system statuses can enhance situational awareness. Autogenerated network views and customizable data displays are two features that allow users to monitor and respond to network conditions proactively.
For instance, the Tabular Signal View shows all Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) signals associated with a device in a tabular format. This view is configured per device and provides a comprehensive overview of the signals and their status. Autogenerated views are commonly used for Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) activities as they provide a clear understanding of the network’s topology and configuration in a simplified view of the feeders in their varying states.
Faster Answers for Everyone
Presenting complex information in accessible formats supports efficient decision-making processes. Strategic layering of data, as well as interface simplification, ensures users at all levels can make informed choices more quickly.
Effective user dashboard design emphasizes clarity and relevance for each role, facilitating at-a-glance comprehension. By incorporating dashboard design into UI strategies, organizations can equip their users with clear, actionable insights that enable streamlined decision-making based on up-to-date information.
Ensuring Accessibility and Inclusivity
A well-designed ADMS UI must be inclusive and accessible to a diverse user base with varying technical backgrounds. Leveraging alternative methods of interacting with software such as keyboard-only navigation, high-contrast displays, and text-to-speech capabilities is critical to providing accessibility.
Acknowledging this importance extends the reach of ADMS systems within organizations while enhancing effectiveness through broader user engagement.
Better Decisions. Optimized Operations.
It is important to note that these UI customizations are easier to accomplish during the design stages of implementation. User-centric design plays an essential role in creating effective interfaces in ADMS beyond aesthetic considerations.
Well-designed UIs can significantly impact your operational efficiency, user adoption rates, and decision-making processes. By focusing on user-centric design principles, and incorporating strong UI elements into your utility’s ADMS system, you can fully harness its power.
The end result: customized user interfaces can make for more efficient decision-making across your organization while optimizing your operations.
Article originally published on the POWER Engineers website.
